


Solace

by Fritzen_lcaos



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-16
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:33:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26487988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fritzen_lcaos/pseuds/Fritzen_lcaos
Summary: After a simple supply run brings Evelyn back into the clutches of her traumatic past, she finds solace in the arms of the man out of time.
Relationships: Daniel Sousa/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	Solace

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING: This story is rated M for traumatic scenes that involve attempted rape and a backstory about a victim of rape and may be triggering for some.
> 
> I forgot how much I loved Daniel Sousa in Agent Carter and Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. has reminded me of that. He has really become a comfort character for me... so, I wanted to write a one-shot that showcased that. I wasn't going to upload it because I love Daisy and Sousa as a ship and didn't want to upset people. However, I think this story is one that needs to be shared.
> 
> This story loosely follows what happens in season seven of Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. while giving it my own spin. Huge thank you to zealprophet27 for coming up with the title.  
> \- Lauren

“I see that you’re hiding out again,”

The voice gently called out from beyond the shadows, startling Evelyn. She jumped, grumbling from where she thought she was well hidden in the corner of her room. There were very little places to go or to hide on the Zephyr, but Evelyn found that she was getting creative at figuring out places to wander off too in the confines of their ship, especially when things got tense.

Tense wasn’t even the proper word for a day like today, not with the nagging reminder of the loss of one of their team members. It was why she needed time to herself, everyone’s downcast stares along with the thick haze of grief lingering in the air were starting to get to her.

Evelyn glanced up from the book she was trying to lose herself in, trying to control the flicker of relief that wanted to cross her face at the sight of the person in the doorway. She relaxed under Sousa’s soft, questioning gaze as he made his way into the room.

She was still getting used to him being able to walk around with ease, adjusting quickly to the new prosthetic that Jemma had managed to create for him. It was probably the closest thing he had to normal since his accident.

“I needed someplace to think,” she corrected him, her eyes wandering over him as he neared the area she was hiding. She raised her book for him to see what she was doing as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Ah, books are great for just that,” he mused, nodding at the book she had opened in her lap as he gave her a knowing look. “That, and for escaping reality when needed.”

Evelyn’s face darkened, her eyes falling onto the book in her lap as she pondered his words. It shouldn’t have surprised her that he guessed the real reason for her hiding place. Despite being new to their team, he had a knack for being able to understand her better than anyone on the ship.

“Are you okay?”

The seriousness in his tone forced her to glance up from the pages of her book, her eyes wandering his apprehensive gaze as he studied her closely.

Clicking her tongue against her teeth, she ran her fingers nervously over the page of her book as she grew stiff. “I’m fine. As I said, I just needed some time to think.”

“About Enoch?” he questioned, leaning against the wall a safe distance from where she sat on the floor. He watched for any signs that this might have been what was weighing on her but her eyes remained distant, focused on the book before her. “I mean if that’s what’s on your mind… I think I can honestly say everyone is a little rattled about what happened-”

“I barely knew Enoch,” she cut him off abruptly, sighing deeply as her gaze lifted to meet him apologetically. “I mean, I’m still relatively new to this team… When I joined, Enoch was still off in space with Fitz. While that may feel like ages ago to everyone else, it feels like it was only yesterday to me.”

He pressed his lips together, understanding crossing his face as he nodded. “I understand how that feels,” he chuckled, shaking his head at the thought. “It wasn’t too long ago that I was just an agent in 1955 and now… I think I’m some sort of time traveling agent now? How could I have imagined that would end up being my life?”

Her chuckle encouraged a smile to tug at the corner of his lips, grateful to see that there was the vague starting of a smile crossing her face. Her expression was often hard and closed off as the timid agent kept to herself, opening up to the team when spoken to or called out for missions. It was a rare but welcomed sight to see her otherwise to see her relaxed and friendly.

“There’s that smile,” he acknowledged, his softened expression lingering on hers.

She still wasn’t quite able to lift her head to meet his eyes, her fingers nervously trailing along the edge of her book as her eyes remained overcast.

His forehead creased with concern as he pushed himself from the wall he leaned against, his head tilting to the side as he gently nudged her foot with his.

“But seriously,” he began, his gentle voice drawing her attention back to his. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

It was the first time since he showed up in the room that she allowed herself to glance up into his eyes, the words she had on her mind vanished the second she met his brown eyes. She could feel the faint rise of heat in her face, her cheeks suddenly flushing under the magnitude of his stare. 

It was at this moment that she wondered how Peggy Carter could work with this man and not feel something more when she stared into those eyes. Hell, she knew that it took the two a good while to act on their feelings and in the end, Peggy left him for someone else. She wondered how someone like Agent Carter could be that foolish.

Out of everyone on their ship, it was Sousa that knew when something was wrong - he was the only one who saw beyond the fake walls she built around herself, with the intention of protecting the other members of the team. They only knew the basics of what she had been through and as far as they were convinced, she was doing fine. However, whenever things were to go wrong lately, Sousa was the first one there to make sure she was okay.

“I’m fine,” she tried again, hoping this time he would buy into her lie.

"You know, lying to an agent is one thing. Their whole life is built upon lies. Lying to a soldier, however?"

_ "Damn, he's persistent,"  _ she thought to herself, shaking her head.

Sighing deeply, she placed her bookmark in its place before closing the cover, her eyes wandering over his face deeply.

"I'm just questioning my value on this team," she began, her fingers curling around the cover of her book.

Sousa cocked his head, his eyebrows furrowing together in response to her confession.

"Your value?"

Evelyn nodded, gnawing on her tongue as she thought about the seriousness of the conversation. She wasn't one to be vulnerable with this group of ragtag agents but there was something different with Sousa, it showed in the way his eyes concentrated on her.

Her heart skipped a beat as she met his deep gaze, her lips parting to respond to his question when the sight of someone walking into the room caught her attention out of the corner of her eye.

Evelyn bit back the urge to mutter a curse as Deke meandered into the room, her eyes locking on his figure with an intense glare.

Deke's mouth open with the intention to speak before he clamped his mouth shut at the sight before him. His eyebrows raised slightly at the flushed look in Evelyn’s face and the deep stare that Sousa was giving her. He would have made a comment about the nearly compromising look of their stares if it wasn’t for Sousa’s eyes locking on Deke’s darkly.

“Uh,” Deke began, clearing his throat as he squirmed under the soldier's stern gaze. “Sorry to interrupt… whatever it is that’s going on in here… Mack just wanted me to let you know that we have landed near a small town and we are in need of some supplies.”

“And?” Sousa responded, his tone short. He wondered what could have been so important about that tidbit that Deke felt it was appropriate to interrupt their conversation. Sousa had to remind himself that this was Deke they were talking about.

“The thing is, we just landed in Circleville,” Deke confessed finally, his eyes falling on Evelyn's as her face shifted from flushed to surprised.

“Circleville?” Sousa repeated, watching as Evelyn's eyes lit up with a spark.

He noticed that Evelyn was about to stand up from the ground, the realization prompting him to reach his hand out for her to take. He could tell that he caught her off guard with the simple gesture with the simple way her eyebrows shot up. “Where exactly is Circleville?”

“Ohio,” Evelyn answered him quickly, ignoring the way his hand squeezed hers as he helped her to stand. 

Once she was off the ground, she removed her hand from his, ignoring the flutter that rose within her from the brush of his fingers. She offered him a small, grateful smile in response to his help as she nodded her head towards Deke. “I guess the reason you’re here acknowledging this is because Mack needs me to go out and get the supplies?”

“Not alone, right?” Sousa interjected, his voice filled with concern as he prevented Deke from answering.“I mean, these Chronicoms have been tracking us throughout history. What if they’ve tracked us here and target her while she’s alone?”

Evelyn’s eyes narrowed slightly on Sousa, mildly surprised that he was worried about her safety - almost as if he forgot that she faced situations like this on a daily basis anymore.

"I'm a SHIELD agent," Evelyn reminded him, her voice firm. "We're trained to take solo missions. Besides, it's just a supply run. I'll be fine."

"No, I’m pretty sure Bugsy has a point," Deke agreed, wagging his finger in Sousa's direction. "Mack wouldn't want anyone going alone, especially not after what happened to Daisy."

"I can come along," Sousa responded, trying to bite back the eagerness in his voice. Truthfully, he wanted a chance to get off this damn futuristic airplane and away from the thick tension in the air. That, and he wanted to finish the conversation that Deke had interrupted between them just moments before.

“I can handle myself,” Evelyn assured them, her eyes avoiding Sousa’s.

Deke’s mouth hung open, his eyes darting between the two as he tried to figure out a way to answer them. It became clear that this was going to have to be a situation that Mack, acting as director, was going to have to take care of.

<>

Evelyn tugged her leather jacket tightly around her body, chewing on her tongue anxiously as she focused on the frustrated thumping of her heart against her chest. Her fingers were pressed tightly into the material of the thin jacket, her eyes darting around the familiar buildings and sights that filled her vision. She could feel herself relaxing under the shadows of the buildings she once walked by on a daily basis, her lungs releasing the breath she had been holding since she exited the Zephyr. Once she found herself at the heart of the downtown, the heavy tension that had been weighing on lifted completely.

She would have remained content in taking nothing but the sounds of the small town around her, letting herself become engulfed in the place if it wasn’t for the unwelcomed sound of a familiar voice filling her ears.

“You were pretty forward about not needing my help back there,” Sousa’s voice called out from behind her, encouraging her to turn around to face him.

He quickly noticed the way she grew rigid beneath his stare, her lips pressing together tightly as she feigned interest in a building before her. It was obvious that she was trying to avoid every aspect of his concern for her and it was starting to wear on him.

“You’re wrong,” she started, her tone short as she bit down the frustration that wanted to pour out in her words. “It wasn’t about not needing your help, it was specifically about not needing  _ anyone’s  _ help.”

“Am I allowed to ask why?” he inquired, his brown eyes flitting over her tense figure before locking with her chilly expression. “Because what I know about SHIELD is that we’re all about being a team player. You? You’re not exactly being that.”

“Who says I’m not?” she challenged him, turning on her heel to continue down the sidewalk. “I do my part. I show up, I help out on missions, have my peoples backs…”

Evelyn was surprised at how quickly Sousa made it to her side, biting back a startled look as she remembered the new prosthetic Jemma had given him. It was easy to see that this one little change made all the difference in the world.

“There’s a difference between showing up and actually being there,” Sousa pointed out, drawing his lower lip between his teeth as he pondered his next words. “You’re less of a team member and more of a ghost. No one sees you, no one knows much about you. You’re there but just barely.”

“What’s your point, exactly?” Evelyn paused, her eyes locking with his for the first time since they left the ship. Her jaw clenched as she stared into the soft way his eyes met hers, her face remaining hard despite the flare of warmth his gaze brought to her chest.

His expression shifted after her question, his eyes growing dim despite the rays of sunlight that brightened the area around them. His lips were pressed into a thin line as he spent a good couple of moments in silence, wrapped up in his thoughts before he decided to answer.

“You told me earlier that you questioned your value,” he reminded her, watching her closely for any signs of recognition. “Maybe you’re not feeling like you’re valued or that you belong because you’re not allowing yourself to.”

Evelyn swallowed hard, her teeth clenching tightly together as she resisted commenting on his thoughts. She wasn’t fond of the fact that he could see through her so easily.

“We should keep moving,” she muttered, nodding her head towards a nearby alleyway. “I know a shortcut.”

Sousa shook his head as he followed after her, keeping a safe distance from her as they walked. “You sure know your way around this place.”

“Yeah, well, when you grow up someplace, you typically learn things after wandering around on your own for a while,” she confessed, guiding him down the alley.

“You grew up here?” he questioned, his head turning towards the entryway of the alley. He was prompted to stop at this revelation, his mind trying to picture a younger version of this agent before him.

Evelyn huffed, blowing a strand of her hair out of her face with frustration at the realization that Sousa was standing frozen in the middle of the alleyway.

“Yes, I did. And I must warn you, people drive like dumbasses down these alleyways. We need to keep moving-”

“We have time,” Sousa interrupted her, his gaze wandering from the entryway towards her distant, closed off stare. “Which seems ironic to admit, knowing that we are both time travelers now.”

It was the first time since they set out on their mission that a smile had crossed her face, bringing a warmth that melted the chill that once burned within her eyes as she chuckled in response to his statement.

“You’re hilarious,” she mused, allowing herself to relax a bit.

“And you’re a mystery,” he admitted, his head tilting towards hers. “One that I really would like to solve. Maybe you could tell me a little bit about your life here?”

Evelyn’s smile faltered, her head remained level as her eyes fell to the ground beneath them. It took every ounce of strength she had to keep from muttering a curse beneath her breath, the tension returning to her jaw.

“What is there to know?” she shrugged her shoulders, allowing her hands to fall back at her side. “Grew up here, a homeschooler from a big family… never really fit in, not even with my own siblings. Tried to figure out who I was, got mixed up with some stupid people, made some stupid mistakes and fell on my ass… only to brush off the dust, open my own business, watch it fail, and I guess the rest is history.”

Sousa’s head remained tilted as he studied the details of her expression, his own manner appearing neutral though his thoughts raced over the vague details of her story. It amazed him that she spoke about these details as if they were nothing more than what was considered normal, unimportant circumstances.

“Where does joining SHIELD factor into all of this?” he asked, studying the shadows that lingered over her face as she pondered how to answer his question.

“It doesn’t matter,” she began, shaking the thoughts of her past out of her mind as she started back towards the end of the alley. “Look, let’s just focus on getting our supplies before-”

Sousa watched as Evelyn had barely entered into the crossroads of the alleyway, following after her with the intention to bring her back into their conversation when a figure jumped from the shadows of one of the buildings. His eyes grew wide as a taller man jumped Evelyn, where the stranger wrestled her into his arms. 

The attacker's hand struggled to clamp over her mouth as she strategically wormed her way out of his hold to evade capture, her training with Agent May being put to the test the moment she twisted the grown man’s arm behind his back. She was seconds from kicking the back of her attackers knee when movement out of the corner of her eye quickly caught her attention.

She had momentarily forgotten about Sousa in the midst of the moment, her expression filling with concern as she caught a glimpse of him trying to fend off another figure that came swinging out of nowhere. Her body froze in its place at the sight of the familiar figure, the recognizable features causing her blood to run cold.

Dark memories flickered across her mind as she locked her gaze with the hauntingly familiar green eyes of the man Sousa was trying to fend off, her heartbeat accelerating at the mere sight of the twisted smile that crossed his face. It was unmistakable, she could recognize the dark, brutish features of the man, her eyes flicking over his neatly trimmed black beard that connected with his dark, unruly black hair.

Sousa had asked her about her reason for joining SHIELD, and the reason was standing just down the alley from her. In fact, that very person that prompted her to leave everything she knew behind currently had Sousa pinned against the rough exterior of the brick wall, her fear shifting into anger at the realization.

“Let him go,” she snarled, twisting the hold she had on the arm of the stranger that attacked her, ignoring the cry that left the man’s lips. “Let him go or I will snap his arm.

She resisted the urge to shiver as the familiar man across the alley let out a bitter laugh, her eyes watching her greatest enemy closely as he kept Sousa pinned to the wall with a simple, tight hold clenched around his neck.

She was surprised at the cry that wanted to bubble up within her at the sight that unfolded before her, her fear for Sousa momentarily distracting her from the attacker she had pinned within her hold, giving him enough time to twist free from her grasp. She barely had a chance to react before her attacker's elbow connected with her chest, knocking her off balance as her breath stalled in her lungs. She regained her balance just long enough to glance up at her attacker before a final blow shoved her against the brick wall of the building, the force knocking her into a world of darkness.

The last thing she remembered hearing was the faint yelling of Sousa’s voice before a shadow loomed over her.

<>

Evelyn groaned deeply as she shifted uncomfortably against the soft surface beneath her, her eyes fluttering open to the sight of a familiar cracked ceiling above her. She barely allowed her dizzying thoughts a chance to regain composure before she remembered the situation that took place in the alleyway, a jolt of energy surging through her as she tried to sit up abruptly.

She let out a sharp hiss of pain as the rough feeling of rope digging into her wrists kept her secured in place, her head throbbing deeply as she let out a whimper of pain. Her throat felt dry, her mouth sore as she struggled to form words. It became clear after a few seconds that she had been gagged, the discomforting feeling of cloth pressed into her mouth and tied around the back of her head prevented her from speaking.

It didn’t take much to realize that she had been abducted off the streets of her hometown, fear flooding her thoughts as she struggled against the rope that tied her to the unwelcomed surface of a bed. Her whimper came out more urgently as the rope burned against her skin, her rational way of thinking lost somewhere in the adrenaline that was coursing through her.

All that mattered was that she knew she needed to escape. The last thing she needed was to be kept tied down in this hellhole, just as she had been at one time before. She tried twisting her wrist against the hold of the rope, running her mind through a trick Agent May taught her about freeing yourself from handcuffs. She wasn’t certain it would work with rope but she was willing to try.

Beyond the gag, a sound of pain escaped as she struggled to go through with the process that she was taught over and over again. Her fear was starting to elevate into frustration, the discouraging flare of hopelessness welling up within her as she collapsed into the bed.

Her chest heaving as she stared up at the ceiling, she could feel the bitter feeling of tears welling up in her eyes at the thought of facing this situation alone, her anxious thoughts interrupted by the sound of a low groan filling the room.

“Evelyn?”

The low, weary voice a short distance away encouraged her to cease her struggling, her head turning slightly to rest against one of her arms as she glanced around to see who was in the room with her.

Her eyes grew wide at the sight of the figure just a few feet from her, the disgruntled face of Daniel Sousa stared back at her from where he sat tied to a chair that faced her. His brown eyes stared at her with a mixture of relief and concern, his jaw clenched tightly as he took in the awful way she was being held captive. 

It was the first time he ever saw her in a state of distress, his heart aching within his chest at the way her face remained pale. Her eyes were glistening with the hint of anxiety laced within them, the mere sight pushing him to think of ways to settle her frantic thoughts.

“You’re okay,” he whispered, his voice sincere as he focused on her face with a tender, firm stare as he let out a relieved sigh. “Thank God you’re okay.”

Despite being worried about him being caught up in this situation, she was somewhat relieved that she was no longer faced with the unfortunate thought of being tied up alone. Sousa being present meant that there was a possibility of one of them getting free. 

She growled against the gag within her mouth, shifting uncomfortably as she tilted her head to get a better glance at the rope that tied her to the bed frame. The bed creaked as she tugged on the rope, her faint whimper filling the air as she struggled to escape against the tight hold.

“Evelyn, stop,” Sousa’s voice drew her attention back to him, where her blue eyes took in the determination that reflected in the softness of his gaze. “Let’s try to get out of this in one piece, okay? We’re going to figure a way to get us out of this, I promise.”

She let out a flustered huff against her gag, nodding slightly as she refrained from struggling anymore. She had a feeling he was more concerned about her hurting herself than anything. 

She could see that he was already working through his thoughts to come up with an escape plan, his eyes darting back and forth as if he were reading a book. He barely had the chance to open his mouth before her attention was pulled from Sousa’s reassuring gaze, towards a section of the room that was covered in shadows. A chill ran up her spine at the horrifying sound of familiar laughter filling the air, her heart pounding against her chest at the noise.

“You shouldn’t make promises you know you can’t keep,” the voice penetrated the hazy air, bringing back a sense of unease to Evelyn’s stomach.

Her eyes burned into the familiar gaze of a man she hadn’t seen in a couple of years, her body squirming underneath the stare of his green eyes lingering on her face. She couldn’t believe that after everything, she was stuck facing this son of a bitch again.

“Evelyn…” the man tsked, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall in between where Sousa remained bound to his chair, and Evelyn to her bed. This position gave him the range to glance between the two with little effort. 

“I can’t believe you actually came back. I mean, truthfully, I knew you were going to… some friends of yours helped me escape the prison SHIELD locked me up in, told me that I would expect to find you here. And what do you know, they were right! The prodigal bitch came back home.”

Ignoring the anxiety that flared up within her chest under the man’s stare, she growled in response to his words as she struggled against the hold the ropes had on her. She wanted nothing more than to kick the sorry, smug look off of this man’s face.

“Knock it off,” Sousa hissed, the edge in his voice drawing the man’s attention over to where he sat, tied in his chair. “Leave her the hell alone.”

Evelyn groaned, a curse running through her mind as she realized what Sousa was trying to do. He was trying to bring this man’s attention off of her to give her time to work on an escape but Sousa had no idea who he was up against. This wasn’t some average, run of the mill SHIELD baddie - this man was SHIELD.

The man smirked, shaking his head as he jabbed his thumb in the direction of Sousa before he gave Evelyn an amused glare. “Shame, Evelyn. What a shame… this is the man you settled for? He thinks he has the balls to save you, but he isn’t even a real man.”

“If you’re going to call me a coward, maybe you should consider being a real man yourself and try saying it to my face.”

The man’s head turned to meet Sousa’s darkened glare, his jaw squared as he gave Sousa an equally as vicious stare. The flicker of light within the man’s sinister stare made it clear that Sousa had this bastard's undivided attention.

“The Chronicoms have told me a lot about you, Agent Sousa,” the man began, shaking his head. “You’re a man plucked out of your own time, trying to figure your way around a digital world. They wondered what could have possibly encouraged you to stick around before they realized… that you, Agent Sousa, have a thing for my Evelyn…”

Evelyn’s gaze would have burned into the back of their captors' head if it wasn’t for the words that left his lips, prompting her to flick her eyes to Sousa’s face. He kept that same, neutral stare that he was infamous for. He was good at biting back his emotions, wearing a poker face in the presence of enemies. However, there was a hint of anger that glistened within his eyes that exposed his vulnerability for her.

“What you don’t realize is that she doesn’t belong to you,” the man snarled, crossing his arms over his chest as he gave Sousa a vile stare.

Sousa scoffed, noting the hostile nature of this man’s voice and the way he stood. He was blocking Sousa’s view of Evelyn, an air of dominance in his stance that made it clear what message the man was trying to send. “Who the hell are you that you think she belongs to you?”

The man’s eyes flickered with the unnerving sight of amusement, his head cocking to the side as he let out a low chuckle. “You haven’t guessed, Agent Sousa? You think a soldier and a current member of SHIELD would be able to peg another former SHIELD agent.”

Sousa tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly as a sarcastic smile began to cross his face. “An agent of SHIELD, you say? Kind of surprised SHIELD allows someone this unhinged to work for them.”

“Former agent, Sousa,” the man’s voice lowered to a growl, his eyes growing dark at Sousa’s remark. “Agent Austin Dale, to be exact. But why do you care? Technically, you were dead by the time I came into play. Which means that this situation doesn’t concern you.”

Austin turned his back on Sousa for a split second, his eyes lighting up at the sight of Evelyn struggling against the rope that kept her stuck to his bed.

“Oh, right,” Austin chuckled, shaking his head as he glanced back at Sousa. It amused him to see that Sousa had gone from confident to concerned in a matter of seconds, the soldier’s eyes exposing his reason for concern with the simple way they darted towards Evelyn. “Evelyn is the reason why you care. Which I find amusing. I mean, what are the odds that she’d go for another SHIELD agent after what happened last time?”

“What are you talking about?” Sousa questioned the man, keeping the anger that welled up within him from oozing into his tone. Only a fool wouldn’t be able to gather what Austin was hinting at, Sousa had the uncomfortable feeling that the reason Evelyn was so closed off about her past was standing right before him. 

The thought that this douchebag had done something terrible to her made his blood boil, especially with the thought of how the man was probably just one wrong trigger word or move off from going through with it again. Sousa knew that he had to do whatever he could to keep Austin distracted long enough so that they could figure out an escape.

“I was sent on a mission to secure an 0-8-4,” Austin began, shrugging his shoulders as he turned to face Sousa. “You know, standard SHIELD procedure, right? What I didn’t expect was that the object of unknown origin was actually going to be inside of a bookstore, where I met this pretty young woman.”

“Let me guess, you fell head over heels?” Sousa groaned, rolling his eyes. “But she didn’t feel the same, right? So, she crushed her heart… you grew angry, a bit irrational? Maybe you started stalking her at her bookstore, making her feel unsafe. Which prompted SHIELD to get involved, and they realized what a mess you were. You were viewed as a threat, so they locked you away.”

The corner of Austin’s lips twitched, leaving Sousa to wonder if he had guessed correctly. That thought disappeared the second a smile crossed Austin’s face, the sight of it leaving Sousa unnervingly uncomfortable.

“Oh, I think your opinion of Evelyn is a bit clouded, Agent Sousa,” Austin chuckled, rolling his eyes dramatically. “You see, she liked the way we connected at first… but it was never anything more than a connection. We were great together, we got along well… we liked each other. So, time for the next step, right? Things in this phase of the relationship were supposed to start getting more physical.”

“That depends on the woman,” Sousa reminded Austin, his expression darkening. “If they’re ready for something more, trust me, they’ll let you know. Although, sometimes I think we’re a little too dense to see it.”

Sousa could sense in the way Austin grew stiff before him that he was thinking back on a moment. Whatever it was, it was obvious from the way Austin’s forehead creased that it wasn’t entirely pleasant.

“Well, that woman was just playing me,” Austin spat, tilting his head in the direction of where Evelyn was tied to the bed. “She didn’t care about my needs, physical or otherwise. I was just a pawn… to make her feel good about herself. She used me to give off the impression that her life was put together when it was truly falling to pieces.”

Evelyn’s growl of frustration echoed throughout the room, muffled by the gag within her mouth. It was almost as if she was trying to deny the words that were flowing out of Austin’s mouth, her indirect way of calling him a liar.

Sousa scoffed softly, grateful that his hands were tied behind his back at this moment. With the swift movement of his fingers, he managed to remove the small knife he had hidden up his dress sleeve. The conversation was granting him the time to free himself before Austin could lay a finger on Evelyn.

“Why do you think she was using you? That doesn’t seem like Evelyn,” Sousa acknowledged, keeping his eyes focused on Austin.

Austin shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head as he waved a hand dismissively towards Sousa. “Doesn’t matter. You wouldn’t see it, you’re just as blinded as I was. Once I realized what game she was playing, I no longer took her lame excuses. I took matters into my own hands to get what I wanted, what I deserved.”

Sousa’s hand clenched tightly around the handle of his knife, his fingers pressing into the surface as he worked the blade against the rope. He almost froze at Austin’s proclamation but he pushed himself to keep going, the realization of what danger Evelyn was in urging him to work quickly.

“You’re admitting you took advantage of her,” Sousa growled, no longer controlling the anger that was laced within his tone.

“If I was taking advantage of her, she wouldn’t have allowed it to be done,” Austin hissed, an edge to his voice. “She would’ve asked me to stop, and I would have. But she allowed what was done to be done, acting as if it didn’t bother her. After we were done she locked herself in the bathroom. I thought she was just going to take a shower but the stupid bitch called the police, told them that I raped her. SHIELD intercepted the call and took care of me themselves-”

“Did she say no?” Sousa interjected. There was a shift in his tone that wasn’t there during the rest of the conversation, a hint of urgency that Austin didn’t notice within Sousa’s voice before.

“No?” Austin repeated in disbelief, shaking his head. “I mean, maybe once? Or twice? But once things started-”

“You sick bastard,” Sousa grumbled, controlling his anger. He couldn’t allow it to get out of hand, not with how close they were to getting out of this. He focused the rest of his energy into cutting through the ropes. “In case you didn’t realize, ‘no’ means ‘stop.’ Sounds like to me she did ask and you failed to listen.”

Austin’s glare darkened on the harbored anger within Sousa’s face, his teeth gritting together as he turned his attention back to Evelyn.

Sousa’s anger melded with fear at the sight of Evelyn squirming to free her hands from the rope that left her stuck, her eyes growing wide as Austin approached the bed.

“Austin, stop,” Sousa called out, working harder to bring his knife through the layer of rope that restricted his hand.

Austin ignored Sousa’s angered pleading, crawling into the bed as he lingered over Evelyn’s fighting body. She tried to draw her legs up to nail him in the stomach but his hands forced her legs down into the mattress, his grasp against her drawing a growl deep from within her as he held her into place.

“Sorry, Sousa. You said it yourself, she has to speak up if she doesn’t want something to be done,” Austin threw out, ignoring the snarl that escaped Evelyn’s gag as he straddled her hips.

His fingers brushed against her cheeks, leaving a burning trail along her skin as he removed the gag from her mouth. She sucked in a breath once the gag was removed, allowing a slight bit of relief to wash over her despite the burning green eyes that glared down within her.

“Well?” Austin tilted his head, staring down at her from where he lingered above. “Are you going to speak?”

“Fuck you,” Evelyn spat out finally, her voice raspy.

She barely had the chance to react to the way his expression twisted at her words, a gasp leaving her lips as his hand gripped onto her jaw tightly, his fingers pressing into her skin. Her whimper filled the air as she struggled against his hold, panic welling up within her as his face neared hers.

“My pleasure,” he growled, releasing the hold on her face.

A frustrated, terrified groan escaped her lips as his hands roamed over the length of her stomach, his fingers trailing dangerously close to the hem of her blouse. She tried her best to worm herself from beneath his weight, her hips trapped between the straddled hold he had on her.

Her heart hammered against her ribcage as his icy fingers made contact with the warmth of her skin, the sensation pulling a whimper from deep within her as he began groping his hands against her skin towards her chest.

“Stop it,” she managed through gritted teeth, her voice pleading with him as he brought his fingers to the top of her jeans.

He ignored her, his eyes remaining on her exposed stomach as he worked to free the button from jeans. Fear swelled up within her chest as his hands struggled to unzip her jeans as she struggled beneath his hold.

She wasn’t aware that tears were flooded within her eyes until the first set rolled down her cheeks, their warmth grazing her skin as panic rose within the pleading of her voice. She felt as if she had been sucked back into that moment, the first time a man ever stole from her. It was the moment that she felt her value had been stolen from her, leaving her a crumpled mess. 

She thought the situation was about to take this dark turn again when the weight of Austin’s body was jerked from off of her, freeing her from his hold and persistent tugging on her clothing.

She had been so wrapped up in trying to figure a way out of Austin’s grasp, that she had forgotten about Sousa’s presence in the room. That was, until she turned her head to catch a glimpse of him slamming Austin into a nearby wall. He had somehow gotten himself free in the nick of time, the thought bringing a wave of relief over her despite the fight that ensued shortly after.

Her anxiousness remained as she watched the two men struggle to bring the other down, her eyes darting between the two as she remained frozen in the bed. Her heart pounded with unease at the surprising, unnerving sight of Sousa planting blows to different pressure points on Austin’s body.

Sousa let out an angry huff as his hand finally connected with Austin’s jaw, the force of the blow leaving the man a crumpled mess on the floor after a good couple of moments of fighting. Sousa’s fist remained clenched, watching the unconscious Austin as he focused on his rigid breathing.

Once he was content that the former agent wasn’t going to get up for a while, his darkened gaze glanced over in Evelyn’s direction, concern springing back into his eyes as he took in her startled, tear-stained face.

He quickly located his knife, which ended up tossed across the room when he broke free from the chair. Not a word was muttered as he poured his focus into freeing Evelyn from the ropes that left her restricted to the bed, the knife slicing through with ease.

A relieved sigh left her lips as she sat up quickly, pulling her hands down to her side as she groaned. Her arms felt like putty after being tied up for so long, her hands shaking as her eyes roamed over the markings the rope left behind on her wrist. She pushed that aside, bringing her hands over her clothing to straighten out what Austin had messed up.

She wasn’t aware that her hands were still shaking as she trailed over the sections of her body that Austin’s fingers had roamed, a mixed feeling of gratefulness and anger lingered within her chest. She wasn’t even aware that she was fighting with these emotions until a gentle voice reminded her of the presence before her.

Her eyes darted up to take in Sousa’s face before hers, her lips parting in surprise at the scuffed up nature of his face. His lip was busted, no doubt from one of the blows that Austin had placed against his face during their brawl a few minutes prior. It seemed to be the only thing that was fresh from his battle with Austin, her eyes lingered down to the couple of buttons that were undone on his dress top. Concern welled up within her at the unfortunate sight of bruising on his neck, from where Austin had had him pinned against the wall in the alleyway earlier. She would have remained focused on that if it wasn’t for his voice meeting her ears again.

“Are you okay?” he inquired, his voice laced with worry.

She struggled with an answer to that question, her thoughts sorting through everything that had taken place since they left the Zephyr. She was hellbent on coming alone, to take on what should have been a simple supply run. Instead, it turned into a personal vendetta for the Chronicoms - one that nearly resulted in her living through past horrors again. If Sousa hadn’t been present, she would have been taken advantage of again.

She tried her best to control the tears that were flooding her eyes but her lower lip trembled at the thought of what almost took place, betraying her as they revealed themselves to Sousa’s concerned eyes.

The first sob escaped her lips after Sousa cautiously neared her, nestling into the bed beside her as his arms enveloped her shivering frame. His heart stung as she pressed her face into the material of his shirt, the surprising feeling of her tears meeting the skin of his hand as he cupped her face gently. 

His thumb gingerly brushed along the skin of her cheek as she allowed everything to come flooding to the surface, leaving her exposed and vulnerable within his grasp. It was the first time he had ever seen something more than her rough, closed-off exterior. Unfortunately, neither one of them expected their afternoon to play out as it did, and he imagined that she definitely didn’t expect her past to come sneaking back up on her the way that it did.

Her voice whimpered out his name, the pain within her tone prompting him to shush her softly as he drew her tightly against his chest. His hand reached up to brush her hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her hair as he continued to stroke it gently.

“You’re okay,” he assured her, placing his chin against the top of her head as he held onto her protectively. “You’re safe now.”

<>

“There you are,” Simmons' voice broke the heavy silence that hung in the room, drawing Evelyn’s darkened gaze to the bandages that wrapped her wrists, covering the wound that the tight hold from the rope created. “We’ll need to keep these plasters on you for a day or two. I’ll check on them tomorrow evening, and then we can go from there.”

Evelyn sighed, turning her hands over to take in the gauze that wrapped around her entire wrist. While it covered the problem, the discomfort remained - no doubt it would last as a painful reminder of what happened.

“Thanks, Simmons,” Evelyn sighed, lifting her head up to glance around the makeshift medical wing of the Zephyr.

She felt uncomfortable to be the center of attention, under the concerned stares of the other agents of her team. The only two who were missing were Daisy and May, who were in a different area of the Zephyr, currently interrogating the already battered and bruised Austin for answers.

Evelyn’s eyes ignored everyone else's stares as her eyes locked with Sousa’s, the unease lingering within her chest dissipating slightly as she took in his familiar, warm gaze.

The situation at Austin’s place quickly became a SHIELD issue. It wasn’t long after Sousa had managed to calm Evelyn down back that they used her cell phone to call for help, Evelyn briefly explaining what went down with a shaky voice. She knew it made Sousa feel guilty as he listened to her explain the details, upset that he wasn’t able to work the device so that she wouldn’t have to go through voicing it so soon.

Those few moments alone before some members of the team showed up allowed her to gather the guts to express gratitude for what he did, encouraging him despite the guilt he felt for her having to call for backup. It was in her own stubborn way, of course. Deep down, she was extremely grateful for his help and she wanted him to know it. That’s why she settled for the only response she could think of, which ended up being a hug.

At this moment, she wanted nothing more than the feeling of his arms around her. She wanted the warmth that it provided, the familiar sensation of security that her life had lacked for so long. It felt stupid to admit but even in this room full of agents, she now felt safest at Sousa’s side.

“These Chronicoms are going too far,” Mack acknowledged, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. “I’m tired of our agents getting attacked, of losing good people. If Sousa wasn’t with Evelyn today, we probably would have lost another member.”

Sousa frowned as he took in the way Evelyn grew tense at the severity of Mack’s words, her eyes falling to the bandages wrapped around her wrists as her eyes darkened.

“Are you alright?” he whispered his question, unfortunately, drawing the attention of Simmons to her patient.

Simmons gave Mack a firm scowl, her lips pressing tightly together as she approached Evelyn. Simmons' face softened the second Evelyn’s eyes met hers, prompting a weak smile to spread across her face.

“Perhaps you should go to your room and get some rest,” Simmons insisted, glancing knowingly at Sousa. “And you should help her there, make sure she gets some rest. Despite being given the doctor's strict orders, this agent is quite known for breaking them.”

He knew he would have normally chuckled in response to a comment like this but it felt inappropriate to have such a response at a time like this, so instead, he met Simmons command with a brief nod.

He almost expected Evelyn to disagree with Simmons’ demand, to argue that she didn’t need someone to watch out for her. Needless to say, it surprised him greatly to witness Evelyn nod, in agreement with Simmons.

He masked his surprise with a smile the second Evelyn turned to face him, his heart pounding with warmth for the first time since their mission took a drastic turn.

Evelyn followed alongside Sousa, drifting surprisingly close to him as they wandered through the corridors of the Zephyr and towards her room. She was aware of how close her hand was to his, the sight causing her to wonder what it would be like to bring his hand within hers. She questioned if he would even allow it, noticing how he tried to stay at a safe distance ever since they returned to the Zephyr. 

Whatever prompted him to wrap her within his arms as she sobbed into his chest was now long gone. At least, that was what she assumed.

A deep, breathy sigh of relief escaped her lips the second she entered her room, her body flopping into the bed as she tangled herself into the material of her blanket. 

Once she was comfortable within her cocoon, she glanced up to see that Sousa was still standing in the doorway, watching her with a hint of amusement in his eyes as his eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

“Comfortable?” he chuckled, his eyes wandering over the swaddled Evelyn as she nestled down into her bed.

She nodded slowly, hoping the blanket made it difficult to see the flush rising within her cheeks. It embarrassed her that he had to see this side of her, which should have been the last thing on her mind after what took place earlier.

She watched as he gave her a genuine, tender smile - one that brought a light to his eyes as he leaned against the door frame to her room.

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he admitted, resting his hand against his hip as he gave her a playfully stern glare. “Now, follow Doctor Simmons orders… get some rest, I’ll be just around the corner if you need me.”

Her relaxed state vanished when he acknowledged that he’d be leaving her alone, her head shooting up from her pillow the moment he turned to leave the room and pull her door shut behind him.

“Wait,” she started, biting down on her lower lip in embarrassment at the hint of urgency that rose within her voice.

His head turned to face hers, his forehead creasing with concern as he took in her sheepish expression, his eyes locking with her nervous gaze.

“What’s wrong?”

She kept her hold on her lower lip, her fingers nervously tangling themselves within her blanket as she watched him closely.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she admitted finally, cringing at the confession. 

She was certain it was the last thing he expected to hear, especially after she tried to assure him earlier that she could have handled the supply run alone. Pushing those thoughts aside, she glanced up at him firmly.

“Can you please stay with me?”

His voice caught in his throat as he opened his mouth to answer, his eyes wandering over her nervous expression as he tried to find his voice. He wasn’t expecting her to throw that out there.

“Of course,” he managed finally, clearing his throat. 

He pulled the door shut behind him as his eyes wandered her tiny room, noticing a chair in the corner. He was about to make his way to sit down a safe distance from her bed but the sight of her untangling herself from her blanket stopped him.

She scooted over to make room for him in her bed, her eyes glancing up to stare at him expectantly. This sight surprised him more than the fact that she wanted him to stay with her.

“Are you sure?” he asked, staring at her hesitantly.

She nodded quickly, giving him a deep, hopeful stare that pretty much won him over within an intense.

Swallowing down the timid feelings that were rising up within him, he approached her bed and laid down in the space she left for him. He barely had his head down within her pillow when she curled up beside him, inviting herself to nestle her head on his chest.

Despite the shock that lingered within him, he managed to wrap his arm around her frame, his hand cupping her shoulder lightly as she relaxed into his hold with a deep sigh.

She fell quiet shortly after they settled into a comfortable position, the silence around them giving him the chance to take in the soft sound of her relaxed breathing. He could feel his senses dulling as he traced his thumb lightly over her shoulder, his eyes growing heavy as he breathed in the scent of her hair from the close way she nestled near him.

He was about to give in to the desire to rest when she stirred slightly within his hold, her head tilting up to meet his gaze.

“Thank you,” she whispered out of the blue.

His lips parted, unsure how he should respond to her statement and the gentle way her blue eyes stared into his. He had never been close enough before to be able to fully study her face, taking in the faint spray of green that lingered within her eyes. Everything about this situation caught him off guard.

“Thank you?” he repeated, confused.

She nodded slowly, her head remaining against his chest as she stared up at him. “Yes, thank you. I was an ass to you earlier, and you… let's just say I owe you.”

“No,” he whispered back, staring at her deeply. “No, you don’t. I did what any friend would.”

“A friend,” she mused, disbelief in her tone as a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. “Is that what I am?”

“I’d like to think so,” he confessed, his eyes narrowing with concern. “That is if that’s alright with you?”

She pondered his question for a few seconds, her eyes focused on his as she took in the hopeful way he stared at her.

He was expecting her to answer with words or a simple nod of her head. At least, that was what he was hoping. Her presence was one of the few things he liked anymore, whether it was friendly or something more. 

With the reveal of her situation earlier, he didn’t want to give off the impression of anything more than friendship - not unless she felt ready for it. She wanted the choice to be hers to make when she felt safe and comfortable, unlike what was given to her before.

It caught him off guard that at some point during his thought process, she decided that it was the appropriate time to bring her face towards his. Her lips brushed against his quickly, barely giving him a chance to feel their embrace before she pulled away. He stared at her in shock, his thoughts trying to make sense of what had taken place but he was distracted by the tingling sensation she left.

“That was…” he cleared his throat, growing flustered under the deep way she stared at him expectantly. “That was an interesting way to say you definitely don’t want to be friends.”

She chuckled, drawing her lower lip in between her teeth. “Sorry,” she whispered, keeping her eyes locked with his. “I thought that would be the easiest way…”

“I’m not complaining,” he admitted, frowning slightly. “Though after what took place earlier, I truthfully thought the last thing you would ever want is another man in your personal space.”

Evelyn’s face turned serious at his thoughts, her lips pressing together tightly as she traced her fingers against the material of his shirt.

“Austin wasn’t a man,” she corrected him. “He was a dick and a coward. And if I’m going to be honest, I have allowed him to dictate my life for too long. Me questioning my value? Keeping myself from feeling a connection with people? That’s because I let him influence my choices for too long. I’m done with that.”

Sousa nodded slowly, understanding crossing his face as he considered her words for a moment. “While I think it’s good to admit that, a positive step in the healing process… you need to remember that you are still healing. What happened today? What happened two years ago? I think it’s okay to be a little skeptical of people and situations. You need to look out for you, and do what’s best for you… take time to heal.”

“Are you saying…?” her voice trailed off, a lump forming in her throat as she wondered if she pushed herself too fast, wondering if he didn’t feel the same way.

His expression softened at the doubt that lingered within her eyes, the sudden shift of chilliness that exposed itself beneath the warmth of her stare. Gingerly cupping her face, he allowed his thumb to trace over her cheek as he gave her a smile.

“What I’m trying to say is... I care about you. To be honest, I haven’t cared about anyone in this way in a very long time,” Sousa explained, his fingers brushing into her hair. “With that thought in mind, please know that all that I want is what’s best for you. So, take whatever time you need, whatever steps you need, and just allow yourself to heal. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll still be here.”

Evelyn pursed her lips, attempting to bite back the tears that welled up within her eyes as she mulled over his words. It wasn’t the response she was expecting but it certainly was a response that made her feel safer within his presence, knowing that he wasn’t going to push her into an uncomfortable position when she wasn’t ready.

It was truthfully why she felt ready to jump in with both feet, to grasp onto him, and to never let go. However, she knew there was some truth to his words. This was a decision that, despite whatever was obviously blossoming between them, she needed to approach carefully. At the very least, she needed to sleep on.

She nodded slowly, relaxing into the hold his hand had against her face as she tried her best to control the emotions that raged within her.

Managing a weak smile, his fingers stroked her hair softly behind her ear. “You should get some rest,” he softly commanded, encouraging her to nestle down into the covers of her blanket.

She curled up against him, surprised at how exhausted she felt all of a sudden. Her eyes grew heavy as she breathed in the scent of him, her last memory being the soft feeling of his fingers massaging gently against her hair.


End file.
